Two bound to trial court in Coastal Empire fairgrounds shootout

Thursday

Jan 24, 2013 at 12:43 AM

A witness testified on Wednesday he saw two men exchange gunfire during a Nov. 3 shootout at the Coastal Empire Fairgrounds, but admitted he lied to police in the case.

Dominique Powell testified under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Tom Cerbone he was at the fair with several family members when Lajuan Jerome Sloman, 22, "went to shooting" and 21-year-old Shawn Hakeem Sibert fired back.

Under cross-examination by Sloman's lawyer, Michael Schiavone, Powell admitted he lied to police on his first interview when he said he was not at the fair. He has not been charged in the case.

Chatham County Recorder's Court Judge Harris Odell Jr. bound Sibert and Sloman over to Superior Court following their preliminary hearing on aggravated assault charges and one of lying to investigators.

Smith said Powell only identified Sloman and Sibert as the gunmen on his second interview.

Testimony showed police rounded up about 14 people after the shooting. They also recovered a .380-caliber pistol and three shell casings from the area at the rear of the fairgrounds.

A third man, Ephraim Rashad German, 19, was sent to Superior Court on a false statement charge. He was one of the 14 detained in the fairgrounds case, Smith said.

German also was bound over on an aggravated assault charge in the Nov. 2 non-fatal shooting of Torrence Burgess at a Garrard Avenue apartment complex as he and several friends attempted to flee a group of men.

A fourth defendant, Jeffrey Bashon Crawford, 19, is free on bond and was not entitled to a preliminary hearing.

A charge of giving a false name, a misdemeanor, against Terrance LaSalle Thacker Jr., 23, was not heard.